French Open: Six More Players Withdraw From Event

Sunday is the opening day of the 2025 French Open. Four-time champion Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz will attempt to defend the titles they won last year. We at LWOT already reported on four players who elected to withdraw from the French Open. Six more have joined them since the draw ceremony occurred, and they are named in this article.

Six More Players Withdraw From French Open

Which Players Have Withdrawn?

Belinda Bencic was the sole women’s player to withdraw from the French Open. The Olympic Gold Medalist announced that she had aggravated an arm injury while practicing for the Grand Slam in Paris. Rather than risk making the problem worse, Bencic has decided to rest so she is fully recovered for the grass-court swing.

Matteo Berrettini was the first man to withdraw from the French Open. He retired during his match at the Italian Open against Casper Ruud with a right oblique injury. After careful consideration, the Italian determined he was not 100% ready to compete on the Parisian clay. Due to various injuries, Berrettini has not competed in the prestigious event since 2021.

Kei Nishikori was another high-profile ATP player to remove themselves from the entry list. The 2014 US Open runner-up missed almost two years of action because of a severe injury. His bad luck returned at the Geneva Open, withdrawing in the round of 16 with lower back pain. He was set to play Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros, but withdrew because of his back issue.

Emil Rusuvuori also decided not to play at the French Open. For mental health reasons, he missed all tournaments in 2024 from the US Open onwards. The former world No. 37 has not revealed the reason for his withdrawal. Hopefully, he is doing okay and has not had a mental health setback after returning in February of this year.

Roberto Carballes Baena and Raphael Collignon were the other players to withdraw from the season’s second Grand Slam.

Who Replaces Those Players in the Draw?

Taylor Townsend benefited from Bencic’s withdrawal from the French Open. The American’s game does not naturally suit clay as much as other surfaces, but she is among the most entertaining players in the women’s game, and her involvement is good for the tournament. Marin Cilic, who beat Nishikori in the 2014 US Open final, took Berrettini’s place in the draw. Like all the replacements in this article, he is a lucky loser after being defeated in the qualifiers. Cilic reached the 2022 French Open semifinal and has been to that stage of every Grand Slam.

Thiago Agustin Tirante entered the draw after Nishikori elected to withdraw. The Argentine is a clay-court specialist, evidenced by his only previous victory in a Grand Slam main draw coming at the 2023 French Open. Another Argentinian player, Federico Agustin Gomez, replaced Ruusuvuori. He has yet to break into the singles Top 100 but reached a maiden ATP doubles final at last month’s US Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston.

Daniel Elahi Galan and Elmer Moller were the other two players given places in the French Open main draw.